Eyes on the Prize (Cornerstone)

Feb 4, 2018 - Rev Paul Rasmussen

How does 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 shift your understanding of our faith? Are you used to thinking of life with God as a race?

Who do you know whose faith you admire? What do you admire about that person’s faith?

What choices would you make if you believed you could train and practice to have a vibrant relationship with God?

What practice can you try out this week to train for a spiritual victory?

Do you watch the Olympics? This week, millions of people around the world will tune in to PyeongChang to watch the world's best athletes compete for the Gold. My hunch is that when you see Shaun White crush the double cork in the halfpipe or Bradie Tennell land a triple axel split flip, you'll think, "I wish I could do that!"

Do you ever think that about your spiritual life? Ever hear someone pray or listen to someone talk about God and think, "I wish I had faith like that?"

This week in Cornerstone, we kicked off our series, Go for the Gold. We’re taking a hint from Olympic athletes to understand what it takes to have a great relationship with God? Not just a good one - a great one, the kind that makes other people wish they had faith like yours.

In his letter to the church at Corinth, the Apostle Paul writes:

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore, I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Olympic medals are won and lost by a fraction of a second, but Olympic athletes will tell you they’re actually won and lost by a culmination of every second, hour, day, week, month, year, a decade of physical and mental training that precedes it.

The same is true with our faith: Often, we expect God to show up in our greatest hour of need. But our faith is built in the small moments where we show up with God. We call these moments spiritual disciplines. Put simply, these are the moments we exercise or practice our faith.

The faith of spiritual giants is built through what Eugene Peterson calls, “a long obedience in the same direction.” Choices made to study Scripture or link arms in community with others. Moments spent in prayer. A deliberate habit of worship.

How do you practice your faith?

Do you practice your faith?

Dig Deeper

During your First 15, spend time reading Hebrews 12:1-13. Pick one or two verses to meditate on. What stands out to you about this passage? How might God be asking you to train more seriously in your spiritual life?